Winsted Elks, YMCA to provide Christmas dinner

By Jason Siedzik

Sunday, December 9, 2012

WINSTED >> Support for Winsted's needy during the holiday season has poured in through several avenues, and the YMCA will continue that trend on Christmas Day.

Lisa Smith, Laurie Bessette and the Winsted Elks will prepare a Christmas dinner, which will be served to residents of the YMCA's homeless shelter at noon. Smith, who said the meal will consist of top round roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, french bread and dessert, is working to round up gifts for the children at the shelter as well, and contributions are welcomed. The Christmas dinner comes on the heels of a successful collaboration between Smith, Bessette and the Elks for a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.

"The response from our last holiday event was overwhelmingly positive," said Smith in a press release. "For me, doing it again was a no-brainer. And a lot of our volunteers left that day feeling the same way, particularly after they watched children collect leftovers for their next meal."

Since Thanksgiving, several residents and organizations have sponsored food drives to go towards those in need. Most recently, the Winsted Economic Development Commission, Friends on Main Street and other organizations sponsored a food drive during Christmas on Main Street, held Dec. 1, while Jay Budahazy donated over $1,100 worth of food to the Open Door Soup Kitchen and Salvation Army after a post-Thanksgiving food drive.

As was the case on Thanksgiving, the Elks meal will be available to others in need, specifically housebound, disabled or elderly veterans. Smith said that volunteers will be available to deliver meals to those who need the assistance, even if they cannot make it to the YMCA.

"This struggling economy that we all live in can be unforgiving, and it wouldn't take much for a lot of people out there to end up in the same predicament as these folks. Maybe it's a lost job, or crushing, unexpected debt tied to a medical problem," Smith said in a press release. "Considering that, the decision to spend a little bit of time away from my family to make someone else's holiday just a little bit brighter is an easy one."

Anyone interested in volunteering or contributing to the Christmas meal can contact Lisa Smith at (860) 309-6376.